“Eleven hundred dollars.”
Keara stopped on the stairs and looked over her shoulder at her aunt. “Oh, dear God.”
Maeve’s face crumpled as if she was near to tears and Keara turned and put her arms around her thin shoulders. “It’s okay, Maeve. We’ll find it.”
“It’s not okay. I’m a stupid old lady. I can’t believe I lost that much money.”
Inside the apartment, Keara stood there, looking around. Where would Maeve have put it? She started searching, Maeve following behind her, saying, “I looked there already”, then “I wouldn’t put it there”. Until Keara finally reached the bathroom and found the canvas bag from the store beneath a pile of towels in the cabinet.
Maeve pursed her lips, clutching the bag in both hands. “I decided maybe I will be going to the doctor,” she said slowly. “So I called earlier and made an appointment.”
“Oh, good.” Keara let out a long breath. “I’ll come with you.”
Maeve slanted her a look. “Well. It’s not until next week. You’ll be gone.”
Keara stared back at Maeve. “Oh. Damn.”
“It’s okay, muirnín. I can go on my own.”
“I-I know. I just wanted to be there for you.” In case it was bad news. In case there was anything she could do. But she wouldn’t be here. Her stomach churned a little. “Well, I’ll just have to phone you,” Keara said, pasting on a smile. “What day is your appointment?”
“It’s Wednesday.”
“Okay. I’ll call you Wednesday night.”
“All right.”
“I’ve rented a car,” Keara told Maeve. “I’ll pick it up late Friday, but I’ll leave Saturday morning. That’ll get me back to LA in time to get some food, get ready for work on Monday.”
Maeve nodded, eyes cast down to the rug at their feet. “That sounds like a good plan.” She lifted her gaze and found Keara’s. “You’re sure you’re ready for this, muirnín? Because you’re welcome to stay longer if you need to.”
“I know. But I have to do this. I’ve been away from work too long. It’s not fair to them. And I can’t just hide here forever. I have to face reality.”
“I suppose. Well, what should we do to celebrate your last night here? Should we have a party on Friday night?”
“A party?” Keara laughed. “Just the two of us?”
“We could invite Shane and his parents, and Glen of course and Jayla and…I don’t know.”
Keara shook her head, but smiled. “That’s okay. I don’t want a party.” And she doubted if Shane or his parents would come anyway. It had been a few days since she’d been to their home and she hadn’t forgotten the hurt looks of disappointment on their faces. Worse, Shane hadn’t dropped by in the last few days, either.
“Perhaps you and Shane will want to spend time together your last night,” Maeve said. “I understand that.”
Keara shook her head, keeping her smile firmly in place. “I doubt it. Now that he knows I’m going, he’s…well, I’m feeling better and…”
Maeve’s eyes sharpened. “Oh no.”
“What?”
“You two have fallen in love.”
“No we haven’t!”
Maeve sighed. “I should have known that would happen if you had sex. What was I thinking? I knew that oxytocin had that effect.”
“What effect?”
“It makes women feel like nurturing. Bonding.” She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, then flashed Keara a quizzical look. “You’re in love with him but you still intend to go back to LA?”
“I’m not in love with him!” Keara speared her fingers into her hair, pushing it off her face. She paced away from Maeve. “It was just sex, Maeve, just like the Irish Sex Fairy ordered.”
Maeve blinked several times, her mouth a thin line. “What about Shane?”
“What about him?” She tried to prevent the defensive tone from edging her voice but didn’t succeed totally.
“If he’s in love with you…oh Jesus and Mary. What have I done?” Maeve covered her face. “I can’t believe…oh lord.”
“What?” But Keara knew exactly what Maeve was thinking. If Shane cared about her and she left, it was his history repeating itself. She was going to hurt him, and the thought of that was like an icicle stabbing into her heart. She didn’t want to hurt him. She turned away, chest aching, throat throbbing, and glanced at her watch. “Isn’t it time for your bridge game?”
“I don’t know if I’ll go tonight.”
“Oh, Maeve. You should go.” Keara turned back to her and forced a smile.
Maeve studied her then said, “All right. I’ll be home at the usual time.”
When she had left, Keara wandered to the window and looked down into the street at the cars passing by, the people walking along the sidewalks. When she realized she was looking for Shane she muttered a curse and turned away from the window.
She rubbed her face and wandered through the empty apartment. He knew it was Maeve’s bridge night. He always came over on bridge night.
She sat on the couch and turned on the television, stared at it without really seeing it as the evening passed, time measured in thirty minute programs, until it was ten o’clock and with a dismal, aching heart she knew Shane wasn’t coming.
* * * * *
Maeve and Keara had decided they would go out for dinner for Keara’s last night in Kilkenny. After they picked up the rental car and dropped it off at Maeve’s, they drove to Peabody’s, an elegant restaurant on the edge of town. Keara was all packed and ready to load her things into the car in the morning.
White cloths covered the tables, silverware and glass gleamed in candlelight at each table, and a fresh orchid floated in a small bowl. Soft music drifted through the restaurant, accompanied by the hushed murmur of voices and the clinks of cutlery on china.
Keara was sure her meal was delicious, but she didn’t even taste the chicken piccata she’d ordered, so elegantly presented, and the glass of wine that accompanied it was probably lovely.
She declined dessert and was finishing her second glass of wine when she looked across the room
